


Unlikely Friendship

by mountain_ash



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - No Hale Fire, Fluff, allusions to kate, letter writing, young!Derek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-14
Updated: 2015-09-14
Packaged: 2018-04-20 19:24:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4799411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mountain_ash/pseuds/mountain_ash
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Stiles and Derek are assigned to be secret pen pals in English class.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unlikely Friendship

Ms. Blake stood in front of the class on the first day of Stiles’s junior year. He really loved English but he couldn’t say he had heard great things about the teacher, so he wasn’t sure what to expect. The first thing she announced following the overview of the basic syllabus caught his attention though.

“This year I want to try and help you learn that you can find friends in unlikely people, so I’ll be pairing you off randomly and you’ll be pen pals with one secret person for the semester. Every Monday one person in the pair will give me a letter which I will deliver to its recipient who will respond by Thursday. You will hand write these letters, so I expect to see you putting some effort into your penmanship. I will take a look at your handwriting, but I promise I will not read the letters, so I’m leaving it up to you to tell me if your pen pal makes you uncomfortable and you don’t feel like you can confront them about it in your response.”

“What if we figure out who we’ve got?” Stiles called out.

“Then you make a case to me in writing telling me who your think your pen pal is and why based on evidence from the letters and if you’re right I’ll tell you.”

“Is this really just to teach us to find friends elsewhere?” Lydia interjected, skepticism coloring her features.

“Not exactly. That is part of it, as unlikely friendship is a theme in many novels we’ll read this year, but it’s also meant to help you hone your observational skills. If you can pick and choose the important information from your communications and match it correctly to what you notice about your classmates, you’ll be working on your essay building skills.” Ms. Blake hesitated before adding with a smile. “And it seems fun. Lastly, if you figure out who your partner is and I think you’ve written a good solid argument as to why, you’ll get a little extra credit.”

She went over the delivery method to ensure secrecy and then handed everyone a folded piece of paper with their letter date on it. Stiles was to receive the first letter on Thursday.

_Yo. I don’t really know what we’re supposed to write for these things. Sharing isn’t really my deal, so if you want go all in and be warm and fuzzy, I’ll take it but don’t expect it back._

Despite the surprisingly attractive handwriting, it was the least satisfying first communication he possibly could have expected, and he didn’t intend to go easy if this kid was going to be so difficult.

_Look, you sound like a real peach, Sourwolf, but I’m not going to make it easier for you to get your extra credit just because “sharing isn’t your deal.” If you aren’t going to share, I’m not either._

_Meonienim_

Derek didn’t know what to make of the signature at the bottom. If his partner was dropping a hint, it wasn’t an easy one. Either way, the kid sounded feisty and he could appreciate that. He smirked as he composed his response.

_Meonienim… we both can’t be receivers now can we? Someone’s gotta be a giver ;) I’m assuming we’re both dudes, but correct me if I’m wrong. At least give me that._

_Sourwolf_

If Stiles blushed reading the short message, he certainly wasn’t going to let on so soon.

_Sourwolf- I would definitely be a giver, but don’t get your hopes up._

_M._

Derek frowned. He hadn’t gotten a complaint from Ms. Blake, so his pen pal hadn’t complained about the blatant flirting but he wasn’t really encouraging it either. He wouldn’t admit it to anyone but something about the exchanges made him willing to share a little of himself to get something back.

_Meonienim- not into the dudes then? I swing both ways myself. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable._

_Sourwolf_

Stiles was taken aback by the change of tack, but it was encouraging. Most of the guys in his class were either Scott or reasonably attractive. He figured if he went forth with the flirting he couldn’t necessarily get a bad outcome. Except Greenberg, that is, but he remarkably had a girlfriend at the moment, so he wasn’t too worried about that.

_Sourwolf- no worries. It’s pretty hard to make me uncomfortable, and I sit pretty in the middle of the scale so you’re good on that front. You’ll have to give a little more if you want more out of me though;)_

_M._

He wasn't above admitting that the letters made him smile. Whoever this was knew what the Kinsey scale was, which was remarkably more than he could say about most of the queer kids he knew at school. He had a few guesses about who the guy was, if the way he wrote was anything like how he spoke, but he was trying hard not to get his hopes up that it was a certain sarcastic chatterbox.

_Meonienim- can I ask where that nickname came from? It's definitely the most random thing I've ever been called. And what do you think of this book we’re on right now? ‘Ethan Frome.’ Stiles had some cool analyses of it in class today._

_S._

_p.s. I’m totally aware you may be Stiles, so you’re welcome, if you are._

Stiles had to reread the letter several times to absorb that one. Though he couldn’t deny he’d like someone to think he was cute, this kid liked his brain which was harder to believe and infinitely more satisfying.

_Sourwolf- Why don’t you ever say anything in class? Though I guess no one ever agrees with him so it would be pretty easy to figure out who you are then._

_The nickname? It’s something I used to call people I didn’t like when I was little. I’m not allowed to swear at home, and I always liked ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ and we all know that wolf is sour about something, so yeah. Think like an 8 year old._

_I like the book anyway. I know that’s not a popular opinion, but it’s not your typical tragedy. What’s your favorite subject? I wonder if we have other classes together._

_M._

Derek chuckled. He had considered agreeing with Stiles several times throughout the first month of school, but talking in class was hard for him. He was plenty confident and good with his friends, but something about sharing his deeper thoughts about anything made him feel uneasy. He might as well share as much with “M.”

_Meonienim- You are right about that. You’ll know who I am right away if I agree with him  now though, so I guess he (you?) is out of luck. But I don’t like talking in class anyway. It makes me nervous. That’s not too much of a hint, since a lot of people in that class don’t talk much, but it’s a little bit of one._

_I like the nickname, but I’m really not a sour person. I wasn’t having a great first week of school when I wrote that. My older sister had just left for her first week of college and we’re really close._

_Hmm, favorite would probably be world history. I also like ceramics. Gives me something to do with my hands;) I’m also in Calc 1, chemistry, micro econ, and gym, which is dumb because it literally makes me feel like I’m undoing my conditioning routine, but I’m liking rock climbing right now. Do we have anything else together?_

_Btw, I’m starting to assume you are Stiles. I couldn’t possibly write an essay why yet, but I think you are. Will you tell me who you think I am?_

_S._

The comment about his hands made Stiles’s whole body hot and his pants suddenly felt a little too tight for how public he was, standing at the lockers waiting for Scott to get his stuff to go home. It didn’t help that this kid definitely had a thing for him, both in real life and writing. The hints were heavy in this letter, and he intended to cross examine all the guys he shared those classes with that night against whom he would consider looked well-conditioned. He had a few ideas, even without the extra help, but now he felt like he could figure it out. Sleuthing really was his strong suit.

_Sourwolf- God, I should stop reading these in public... You can’t just write stuff like that! I’m glad you like the nickname anyway, so that’s gonna be a permanent deal once we figure this out._

_Hmm, we have econ and chemistry together, other than this class. If you’re as conditioned as you say you are, I have a few guesses. I would think Danny, but he’s made it pretty clear he only swings our way, so he’s out. I don’t know of many other guys of the LGBT persuasion but I’m not actually out to anyone but my best friend, so that doesn’t surprise me. I’m going to guess you’re either Jake or Derek then. I have a little more digging to do through the other hints you’ve dropped, but I have an exam tomorrow so don’t have that much time._

_Too bad about your sister. I can definitely understand that. I don’t have siblings myself, and my mom died when I was little so I always feel a little lonely at home. I won’t lie, you make me feel a little less alone. I hope we can be something when we figure out our identities. Friends or...more?_

_M._

Derek’s heart fluttered uncontrollably at the last paragraph. He was almost positive it was Stiles now, since almost everyone knew about his mom and that he didn’t have siblings. Aside from that, he wouldn’t have known Stiles was into dudes if they hadn’t been assigned to each other.

_Meonienim- I would feel like a little something was missing if we stopped talking after this is over. This is going to be really awkward if I’m wrong, but I know I like who I think you are, and not just because of the letters. If you aren’t Stiles, can you keep that to yourself please? I think you will._

_I hope your exam went well! I’m guessing it was in something we don’t have together because I didn’t have any tests. I hope..._

_Are you out to your father? I’m not exactly out at school either, but my friends know and I’ve told my family. If you are Stiles, I’d bet your dad would be super cool with it. I was in a bad relationship last year and he found out. He was really supportive and helped me find someone to talk to._

_S._

This letter was way more personal than anything Stiles had expected, even though Sourwolf had been sharing more lately. His dad, being Sheriff, couldn’t legally tell him about his cases, but Stiles knew via the rumor mill that Derek had dated someone much older last year and it hadn’t gone well.

_Sourwolf- I’m glad you feel the same. Even if you aren’t who I think you are, I’d want to keep talking. I definitely think you’re Derek now, though. Jake is pretty open with the school about being bi, so as far as I know that leaves Derek._

_I’m out to my dad, yeah. I figured he would take it well, and he did. I was scared me for a while, because my mom was always more open-minded than he was. If I had had a choice, I would have come out to her and had her help me with him, but that wasn’t an option._

_Just so you know, I’m writing that essay to Ms. Blake tonight. I think I’ve got what I need._

_M._

Ms. Blake handed Derek the letter next Monday, a smile on her face. On the outside of the envelope she had written, “He figured you out.” Derek couldn’t suppress his smile. That day he raised his hand and agreed with Stiles out loud for the first time, and the smile he got when Derek turned to look at him was so soft and reassuring his heart lurched in his chest.

_Stiles- I wrote my essay tonight._

_Derek_

That Thursday, Ms. Blake was running late so she didn’t hand out the letters until the end of class. Derek waited just outside the door for Stiles, and when he stepped out they just stared at each other for a few moments until Stiles, smiling the same soft smile, reached out to grab Derek’s hand and they walked to Econ together.

 

**Author's Note:**

> In response to the tumblr prompt http://thesterekpromptsite.tumblr.com/post/85407336238/high-school-au-where-the-students-have-to-do-a
> 
> Comments always appreciated and come visit me on [tumblr](http://a-mountain-ash.tumblr.com/)!


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